Impacts of Malaria on Severe Anemia in Children Aged ۶-۲۳ Months Old from the Rural District of Kongoussi, Burkina Faso

Background: The present cross-sectional study was conducted to measure the population attributable risk (PAR) of severe anemia among children aged ۶-۲۳ months in the rural district of Kongoussi, in Burkina Faso. Methods: Socio-demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and biological data were collected from children and mothers. Results: In total, ۶۷۱ children were included in the analysis, ۵۰.۴% of whom were male and ۹۷.۸% were breastfed. Only ۵.۸% of the children had adequate complementary feeding, ۲۵.۸% were wasted, and ۲۳.۵% stunted. Malaria affected about half (۵۰.۸%) of children; ۳۹.۳% had mild malaria and ۱۱.۵% had severe malaria. Children who were no longer breastfed were more likely to have malaria [OR = ۳.۹۸ (۱.۱۱-۱۴.۲), P = ۰.۰۲۲] than those who were breastfed. Fever in the last fortnight [OR = ۱.۴۹ (۱.۰۷-۲.۰۸), P = ۰.۰۱۹], current fever [OR = ۴.۳۰ (۲.۳۹-۷.۷۶), P < ۰.۰۰۱], and presence of splenomegaly [OR = ۲.۶۸ (۱.۵۴-۴.۶۷), P < ۰.۰۰۱] were also positively associated with malaria. Anemia and severe anemia had a prevalence of ۹۶.۸% and ۲۴.۴%, respectively, and were associated with both mild and severe malaria. Body mass index of mothers [OR = ۱.۸۲ (۱.۰۶-۳.۱۲), P = ۰.۰۲۹], diarrhea in the last fortnight [OR = ۱.۷۰ (۱.۰۶-۲.۷۱), P = ۰.۰۲۷], stunting [OR = ۱.۵۴ (۱.۰۱-۲.۳۴), P = ۰.۰۴۵], and splenomegaly [OR = ۲.۹۳ (۱.۷۰-۵.۰۶), P = ۰.۰۴۵] were other independent factors associated with severe anemia. The PARs of severe anemia due to mild and severe malaria were ۲۲.۱% (۶.۱%-۳۵.۴%) and ۲۲.۰% (۱۱.۶%-۲۷.۷%), respectively. Conclusion: Given the high frequency of anemia and severe anemia in this rural malaria-endemic area, interventions are required that consider the important contribution of malaria to anemia and aim to prevent infection.  

Keywords:

Malaria , Severe anemia , Children , Impact , Burkina Faso